Special sliding trapdoor valve and gas-meter protector



@mmm 259 W2@ L y m. @Mmmum SPECIAL SLIDING TRAP DOOR VALVE'AND GAS METERPROTECTOR Filed April 7. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR. 6AM @400WATTORNEY )the invention Will be best un ener, that the invention notconiined ltlutentetll Application filed llpril 7, 1327. {Seria} No.131455,11.

` llhis invention relates toa protective clevice `designed particularlytor use upon gas ineters.

'llhe primary,7 object ot this invention is to provide, in manner ashereina'lter set toi-th, algas meter attachment desi ined to prevent"tampering with the nieter Yfor the purposeoit proventing1 the saine`troni registering the quantity oit ,..jas pasoliniv therethrough.

V lis is Well known, by inverting; a rias meter of the type connnonljvin use at the present tiin'e the ons tion' controllino vulves therein lle i Will he caused tono alter their po. tions that the ,uantitv oloasoassine throu u i .i w .L i; Will not atleet the operati andconsequentlyivill not be nudi :ated upon the Vrecording apparatus ot themeter. The present invention anus to iruetfate such at- `terupts `tointeriore with the reoister` mechanism of a meter, by the provision oita shut-oit device designed to be placed either in the inlet pipe line orthe outlet lineas desired, and attached vto the meter body, so that anyextreme lalteration or shiit-ine; ot Athe lneter troni its normalupright-posi ion will cause a shuttinggno'flf o'll the ons How, theLtloiv `only beingrestored upon replacing the meter in. its properupright position.

l further object ot the present invention is to provide, in a manner eshereinafter set forth, adevice ot theahove described character which isin itselt linvulnerable or proeft against tanuperine, so thatunscrupulous persons can not in any manner interfere with its action. Ay fle still further and linal object oli this in-` `ventionlisto provideu ges meter protector h aving;` only` asingle niovable part andtheretore otegttreine siniplieitv, strong und du-y rable construction,con'iparativelv inexpensiveto manutacture and easy to apply.y,`ll'unierous other objects und ativan ta ot the` present inventionwill become apparent as the description ot the sunjie proceeds and klerstood troni a consideration or the tollowingl detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying draivino- 'formino1 a part otthis 4specification, with the understanding, hor'- Io any `riotconiforinitv lWith the sl'ioivingi; ofi the drawing but may he changedor inodi so long` as suchchanoes or inodilications niort:

.i tion o'apruwtod in 'lil taken ure l.` p.

Figure is a view` oit the inner face. otthe device embodying thisinvention Avhicli face is securedaggainst the side Wall of the iiieter.Figui-e 4: is a` transverse section taken upon thelineflf-fotFigure 2. y

lliotu'o 5 is a detailed. perspective vieniof the valve block boxreinoved 'troni its housing. llinjure 6 is a view ot the inner tace ofthe casing; ot the device with the valve block boit removed therefrom.,4

Figure T is a central longitudinal section through the valve block box.N

lligrure 8 is a. transverse section oi' the valve bloeit box. l

Figure 9 is a longitudinal section through the valve block box takenupon the line SHQ oli `lligure l. ,y W 1,

Figure l0 is a longitud.- Ual section through the valve block boxeasingD For `theeinploynient o t adrill proof housing;` toi-the casing'.llelerringg now `to the ,draniingefin` detail wherein like nun'xeralsvoit reference indicate correspondino` partsthroughout the several views,the ligure l indicates the upper portion ot a conventionally shown. gas;ineteroolyin at one side of the saine, the usual openingF 2 through theside Wall otthe meter being' shown in Figure 2. isivell known, one ofthe pipes connecting; to `tlrewineter connnunr Cates with the interiorthereof through this opening. n s j 'llhe device embodying thepresentsinvention is designed to be secured againsty the side Wall otthe Anieter, at either Athe inlet or the outletside, to overlie `thev(,ipeninflf, for the purpose herein. ier setgtorth.` The application.o? the device will be describedftor the salte of convenience,`as,applied todthe inletside ot thte inetcr `body although it is ofcourse to he uudeifstood lthat ,the` seine can be `used upon the outletside with the saine results. U .M 'lllie nieter protector comprises aninlet or outlet littingr in the torni of a casing1 `body indicatedgenerally bv the nuineral which bodv has innerlnce open as is clearlyshown in l ifnire 3 and liasleading'troni-the on 'Wall t h Clt 5 iliiolilat t 'its llil . inner substantially tlslnperl plee l? VWhen the box 11terior o1c the casing 3 has 'formed in its upper half and adjacent oneside Wall thereotl the partition Wall 7 which extends across the top ofthe casing in close proximity to theA top Wall el as indicated at Sisetting up the chamber 9 and thev passage 10 leading from the lowerportion thereof to and opening into the neck 5. As Will be readilyunderstood from the showing ot Figures 1 and 2. the casing 3 is securedin a leak-proof manner with its open tace against the side Wall of themeter and covering` the outlet opening 2 in such manner that the openingleads directly into the upper portion yoil the chamber 9.

' Positioned in the chamber 9 is a sliding valve block boi: indicated asa Whole by the numeral 11, which box comprises the outer Wall 12, thesidewalls 13. end Walls 1d and an innerremovable ivall section indicatedgenerally by the numeral 15. The side Walls of the box have thelaterally directed flanges 1G toivhich the inner ivall structure 15 issecured.

The inner wall :structure comprises an the cross or yoke portion 1S ofwhich extends across the top ot thev box While the legs 19, which are otgreater Width than the flanges 16'rest against the faces ot the tlangesand project beyond the inner edges thereot as is clearly shown in Figure8. it leather plate 20 overlies the plate 17 and has an apertiue 21formed through the upper central portion and overlying the leather plate2O is an outer plate 22 in the central upper portion ot which anaperture23 is formed which registers with 'the aperture 21 of theleather plate.

Formed through the central upper portion of the outer Wall 12 is anaperture 2li which is in alignment with the apertures 21 and 23,lclirectly opposite and in the inner Wall of the Slidably disposed inthe box, is a valve block body 25, along the inner tace of each sideedge. of Which a groove or recess 26 is formed to receive theprojecting` edges of the 'legs 19 of the inner plate 1T and across thetop edge of this block a groove 27 is formed p to receive the yokeportion 18 of the plate 17.

As is clearly shown in Figures 7 and 9.

is in its normal vertical position, the block will be located in thelower portion thereof thus leaving unobstructed thelpassage through thebox and the apertureszformed in the inner and outer Walls thereof. Thethickness of the valve block box'is materially less than the thicknessoit' the casing 3 and it will be seen that `when the box 1s in position1n the casing with the face ot' the inner Wall 15 flush With the innerface of the casing, a space is left between the outer Vthe gas to pass lmeter Wall through the openings of the box 11 and into and through thepassage Wall of the box and the casing which permits from the opening 2of the ln order to maintain the valve block box iu proper positiom thereis litted in the chamber 9 the spring` retaining' member 2S, one edge ofwhich. bears against the `trout wall ol the casing' While the other odgehas the Hannes 1G oli the box resting thereon, thus spacing the box:trom the Wall ol, the casing as doscribed.

In order to prevent the toi-mation olI a hole in the front ivall of thecasing' 2l and the insertion oi" a Wire or other device theciulo to aposition to prevent movement ol the valve block 25 there is provided aplate oit hardened steel, as indicated at 29. this plate overlying theinner tace oit the trout wall ot the casing and being` held in positionby thc retaining member 28,. as will be readily understood troni theshowing` ot Figures 2./ 3 and ti.

ln Figure l() there is shown a slightly1 modified construction ot themeans employed 'for preventingtampering ivith the device by unV`scrupnlous persons, which means comprises a shell 'toi-med ot hardenedsteel. which is designed te be inseriert in tbe dumber il and in whichthe valve block box is placed. This shell indicated by the numeral 3()and. as shoivn in Figure .10 has that side vvall lyingr adjacent thepartition wall 7. provided. below the end orn the partition, with anaperture ill to permit passage of the gas through the device.

From tlie 'foregoing descriptionv` it will be readily understood thatwith the device embodying this invention positioned as described. noobstruction will be odered to the iow ot gas through the meter but, uponthe inversion ot the meter the valve block body 25 will drop andeifectively cut ofi the gas flow.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is:

1. In combination, a gas meter casing provided ivith an opening. afittingl having a hollow body secured to the casing over the openingtherein. a valve box element arranged within the body and provided withan open ing registering vvith said first opening and an openingcommunicating with the interior of the body. and a valve bod)7 slidablyarranged in said element and normally occupying a position below saidopenings and adapted to close said opening when the meter is shiftedfrom its normal vertical position.

2. An inlet or outlet fitting for gas meter casings wherein the casingis provided with an inlet and an outlet opening` termed :in the bodyther-coi", comprising a casing body, a gas cut-olf unit within saidcasing designed to overlie the adjacent openingl and act to close thesame upon the invertion ot the meter, and means Within the casingrforming a barrier between certain faces et the unit and the casing toprevent the reaching ol the valve unit through an opening drilled in thecasing.

3. A fitting for gas meter casings having an inlet and an outlet openingin the body, comprising a casing body designed to be se cured over oneo't said openings, a valve ele ment boi; within the casing designed tobe aligned with the adjacentopening of the meter casing, a sliding valvemember within said box designed to close said passageway upon theinvertion oli the meter, and drill proof means within said casingforming a barrier between certain 'lia-ces et the box and adjacentcasing walls designed to prevent tampering with said member by thecutting of an opening through the protecting casing.

4l. A fitting `for gas meter casings having an inlet and outlet openingin the body thereofj comprising a casing body open at one side, anoutlet opening through the top of said casing, a partition wall withinthe cas" ing setting up a relatively narrow passageway along a portionof one side and across the top leading to said opening, said casinghaving its open side secured against the meter casing over one et' saidopenings, a valve box within said casing at one side of said passageway,an opening through said valve box adapted to align with the adjacentmeter casing opening, and a sliding valve within said box designed toclose said opening to prevent the passage o't' gas through the casingwhen the casing is inverted, said box bealong a portion of one side andacross the top its open side secured against a meter casing over one otsaid openings7 a valve box within said casing at one side of saidpassageway, an opening through said valve box adapted to align with theadjacent meter casing opening, and a sliding valve within said bei:designed. to close said opening to prevent the passage of gas throughthe casing when the casing is leading to said opening, said casinghaving inverted, said box being of less thickness than the casing topermit gas to How through the box to a space between the box and thecasing and beneath said partition to said passageway, and means withinsaid casing for protecting certain faces of the valve bon by thedrilling et' a hole through the casing to reach said valve box,substantially as and for the purpose described.

in testimony wher-eet l ai'x my signature.

ltAMUN SALBADUR.

